Jesus delighted in using the metaphor of a Shepherd. It’s a lovely picture which we can all understand. But, of course, it is a title which He had already been given on various occasions in the Old Testament (e.g. Gen 49:24, Ps 23:1, 79:13, 100:3, Is 40:11 Ezek 34:31). One of the great passages in which Jesus teaches about how He is our Shepherd is John 10:1-18. But it is also hugely helpful not only in seeing and resting in His care, but to learn how we are to care for one another. There are some clear principles that are so helpful to us:

The Shepherd’s voice (Jn 10:3-4)

We are told that the Shepherd calls His sheep, and they know His voice. Our greatest care for one another is to lead His people to listen to His voice. He alone is able to calm the storm with a word. He alone is able to drive out evil with a command. He alone is has the words of eternal life. He is the word – the way, the truth and the life. “It follows from this that they alone are good shepherds who lead men straight to Christ”, Calvin noted. Jesus is our light, He is our path, He is our great reward. And so the faithful ‘under shepherd’ points to Jesus – leading the needy to His word, calling the lost to listen to Him, encouraging the weary to find rest and joy in His word and His great and precious promises. As another commentator has put it: “Men and women engage in pastoral care when they enable men and women to hear and trust Christ’s voice and not their own voices or the voices of others.”

The Shepherd’s rule (Jn 10:7-10)

Jesus tells us that He is the gate. He is the one who brings salvation, no-one else (v9a). And He is the only one to who we must continue to come to for life, to ‘find pasture’ (v9b). If we are to know the fullness of His love, comfort and blessing, it is only found in Him – “only you have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68). We therefore point to Him not only for salvation but as Lord – our King who we delight in and willingly submit our lives to. To Shepherd like Jesus is to call people to His Lordship, to challenge them lovingly to trust in Him in every part – He is the only answer to their needs, He is the fount of living water.

The Shepherd’s sacrifice (Jn 10:11-13)

Jesus points to his willing sacrificial death for His sheep. In doing so he contrasts himself to the ‘hired hand’ who is unwilling to give up their life for the sheep. As His ‘under-shepherds’ we are to follow our great Shepherd – “That person alone is able to fulfil the office of shepherd who is willing to risk his life for the flock” (Calvin). It is in standing up to ‘wolves’ who would devour God’s people that the under-shepherd follows the Chief Shepherd of the sheep. Love for one another is never easy, takes time, demands patience – it is the sacrifice of love for one another that shines brightly for Him.

The amazing truth of God’s call into His family is that we have the immense privilege of being shepherds to one another in local churches, so that “together we grow into Christ who is the head” (Eph 4:1-16). What a privilege! And what a Shepherd we follow.